Observational records are made of teacher-student interaction and other activities in the classrooms of 400 first- and 400 6th-graders in elementary schools in Taiwan, Japan, and the United States. The study seeks (a) to ascertain similarities and differences in classroom behavior in the three cultures, and (b) to relate classroom behavior to children's level of achievement. Special attention is paid to children with reading disabilities. If, as has been suggested, children with reading disabilities are not found in Taiwan and Japan, comparisons between groups of children of low, average, and high achievement would be made. The goal is to understand the relevance of cultural differences in children's experiences in school for scholastic success.